Gear train assembly



GEAR` TRAIN ASSEMBLY Filed May 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet @hun ' INVENTOR.

fm AfrToR/VEY April 9, 1940. C. Lun-rz 195,532

GEAR TRAIN ASSEMBLY Filed may ls, 19:55 2 sheets-sheet 2 Ma ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 9, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,196,532- n GEAR TRAIN ASSEMBLY Carl Lurtz, Brooklyn, N. Y. l

7 l Application May 13, 1935, serial No. 21,207

17 Claims.

This invention relates to gear train assemblies and is herein illustrated as embodied in an easily assembled escapement-controlled timing unit.

Economical assembling of gear train and -escapement controlled units has long bafed designers of clocks and other timing mechanisms. In the past the workman or woman assembling the parts has usually found it necessary to hold several gears with thefngers o one hand while fitting a mechanism plate or journal plate over the small projecting pivots or shaft ends fwith the other hand. Then the workman' usually has had to insert and screw down several screws through the journal plate into fouror more oorner posts.

Sometimes templates or pigs have been employed as an aid,` outl using these entailed eXtra motions by the workman and consequently consumed ytime which might be saved by the pres- -ent invention. v A

` `According to the present invention the fore` going and other diculties are overcome, and a t compact', rugged, easily assembled gear unit is provided which requires neither screws nor templates and eliminates the need for the waste mo'- tions hitherto involved. Y

In the accompanyingl drawings:

Figure l is asection on the line I-I of Fig-ure 2 through a timing unit embodying one form of the present invention, most of the gearing being omitted and most of the rest being showniridotted lines. t n s Figure 2 is a bottom sectional View of the same on the line 2-2 of Figure L1. Figure 3 is a top View on a smaller scale. Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan View with parts broken away.

Figure 5 is ofthe journal plates in position together with a few adjacent parts.

Figure 6 is an exploded view of the main shaft and someparts carried by it.

A housing cover I0, has a ange I I upon which j is riveted 'a mechanismplate I2'to which in turn is vfast a hollow center post I3. lIn the form shown the post I3 has-a shoulder I4 resting upon `the outside of the cover III and is upset over the under side of the plate I2 so as to rivet the two together.

To assemble the parts a plate spacerA I5 is set y into a cut out opening I6, so that shoulders I1 and I8 of the spacer rest upon the face of the When the shoulders I1 'a fragmentary perspective view anism plate I2 projects through an opening 20 t in the spacer, and, lying against the lower edge of the opening steadies the spacer. Tofacilitate this swinging the endx2l of the tongue I9-is turned up out of the way of the bottom of the opening 20.

Next the train of gears forming the movement is inserted. In the form shown the gear 22 is rst inserted and the gear 23 is inserted, meshing with a pinion 24 fast on the shaft of the gear 22.\

Other gears or time regulating elements such as esoapement elements are usually inserted at this time, so far as they have a bearing in the mechanism plate I2. j c

A second mechanism plate 25 is then inserted so that its little prongs 26 and 2l rest upon shoulders 28;and 29 of the plate spacer I5, and l tenons 3l) and 3l enter mortises 32 and 33.y On the second mechanism plate 25 projects a tongue 34 having a4 bent over end 35 like the end of the tongue I9 to facilitate the entering of the tongue 34 into the opening 2i). As the second mechanism plate 25 swings to its assembled position with its centralopening 3B seated on a shoulder j 31 of the center post, at the height of the shoull ders 28 and 29, the tongue 34 acts as spring tending to face the plate 25 into iinal position, thus eliminating any need for manual pressure While the pivots of the gears are being adjusted into f pivotsv ofthe gears aligned the shaft 4I 'is inserted through the housing cover IU in the form shown, and a split washer 42 is tted into a groove43 in the shaft 4I, and the shaft 'shoved home. -i' i Then a center gear 44 is slipped on over" the projecting end 45 of the shaft 4I so that it lies.,

upon the outer face of the mechanism plate 25, 'and meshes with a small pinion 45 fast on the shaft 4'! of the pinion or gear 23, which for this .purpose projects above the-.level of the mechanism plate 25. To form a journal for the shaft 4l of the pinion 46 the mechanism plate 25 is providedk with a struck up arm 48 in which the shaft 41 turns.

A pawl disc 49 is then slipped over the projecting end so that the bent ends 50 of its flexible prongs 5| tend to enter openings 52 in gear 44 and normally engage the openings 52, the number of openings varying With the varying intervals for which the timing device is desired to be set.

`An economical hub for the pawl disc 49 is shown as provided by a washer 54 upon which is superposed a second or central Washer 55 having flat face 55to bear against a at face 51 of the shaft 4l. Upon the Washer 55 lies a third washer 58, thus providing an anchorage for the main spring 59, which hooks over a projecting tooth l Gof the central washer 55. The pawl disc 49 turns as a unit with the shaft 4| and the washer 55, because it includes `a at face 49a lying against the iiat face 51 of the shaft 4|.

The free end of the Spring 59 is then hooked over a tooth 6l projecting horizontally from the plate spacer. Then a stirrup 52 is slid across the4 shaft 4 i fitting its legs 63 and 54 into notches 55 and 55 in the shaft, holding the spring against buckling and all the parts in place. To prevent the stirrup from slipping out its legs 63 and 54 are pinched toward each other as seen at Figure 2. To cause this bending to take place proprly each leg is provided with a notch 61.

`A disk 523 is then slipped over the opposite end of the shaft 4! lso as to lie next to the cover I5 andrests upon an annular ridge 69 stamped out of the cover i8, so that the disk clears any rough spot. The cover lll also includes aldepression 1Q forming a seat for the central part of the mechanism plate thus providing clearance in the rest of the plate for the projecting ends `of any pivots.

The spring is normally Wound up by turning a knob 12 which fits over the shaft 4I and is provided with a flaring outer edge 12a which rests upon the disk 63. To cause the knob 12 to turn the shaft 4i, a stirrup 13is slipped across the flat outer end of the knob so that its legs 14 and 15 engage notches 15 and 11 in the shaft 4l,

K and so that its projecting lug 18 bears against a post 18a struck out of the knob, and is turned by the knob. This stirrup 13 on the shaft. The device herein shown is adapted to operate in a single revolution, and to prevent further turning in either direction a lug 19, which may serve as an indicator upon an adjacent scale divided into minute intervals of time, is provided and is adapted to strike a pin 8D in the cover l to arrest the knob 12 at the end of a revolution either in winding or unwinding.

The unwinding of the spring is limited by the stop E! on the spacerplate l5 which lies lin the path of a lug Bla projecting from the stirrup v52 which rotates with the` shaft 4 l and serves to this end during the remaining assembling operation.

The knob 12. can be turned freely backward without rotating the shaft, thus eliminating the possibility of wrecking the mechanism by attempting to turn it in spring unwinding direction.

The long shaft 4i and the closely fitting long hollow central post I3 together form a long bearing which keeps dirt and moisture from reaching the mechanism under the cover. HJ.

ln the form shown the mechanism is especiallyv adapted-to serve as an egg-boiling timer, and, to further keep the mechanism dry `and clean, *it4 is covered with a cup-shaped member 33, shown as stamped out of sheet metaLand provided With a projecting flange 84 to lie against the housing holds the knob in place cover l0. In the form shown the outer periphery of the cover l0 has the edge of its flange I l turned over under the flange 84 thus completely sealing the mechanism.

i The knob 12 may be provided with a thread 85 f The cup or mechanism housing 83 is shown in Figure 2 as having a flat wall 93v adapted to lie close to the spacer plate I5, and thus provide space for a pin such as the stem 89, which is provided with a through passage 90.

To facilitate aligning of the parts in assembling the mechanism housing or cup 83 is shown as provided with a lug 9i on its flange which is adapted to tinto afcorresponding notch 92 on the flange ll. v

Having thus described certain embodiments of the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device including a train of gears having shafts, a mechanism plate in which the gear shafts are journalled, aplate lspacer, a second mechanism plate swinging uponthe plate spacer to and from the first plate, Aand a spring tending to swing the second plate down upon the shafts to form a set of journals therefor.

2. rA device including a train of gears having shafts, a mechanism plate in which the shafts are journalled, a plate spacer having shoulders, mounted upon the mechanism plate, a second mechanism plate having prongs to engage the plate spacer and rest upon said shoulders, and a spring bearing against the plate spacer and tending to swing the second platedown upon the shaftsto form a set of journals therefor.

3. A device including a train of gears having` shafts, a mechanism plate in which the shafts' are journalled, a plate spacer having shoulders adapted to restV on the mechanism plate andV swinging on certain of said shculders,1a second mechanism plate having prongs to engage the *V spacer plate and rest on other shoulders thereof 4. A device including a train of gears, a pair of mechanism plates between which the train lies and on which the shafts thereof are journalled, a drive shaft passing through the plates,r a pawl disc held to the shaft, a ratchet wheel driving the train and lying between the pawl disc and the adjacent plate, a stirrup lying in grooves in the shaft and holding the ratchet Wheel against the plate and means engaging the shaft beyond the further plate holding that plate.

5. A device including a train of gears, a pair of mechanism plates between which vthe train lies and on which the shafts thereofarejournailed, amain spring outside the plates, a shaft passing through the plates, a pawl disc held to the shaft, a ratchet wheel driving the train and lying between the pawl disc and the adjacent plate, a stirrup lying in grooves in the shaft and holding the pawl disc Aagainst the ratchet wheel,`

and a stirrup engaging grooves in the Vshaft beef plates, a post surrounding the main-shaft over a considerable part of its lengthv andv includingr shoulders against which bothmechanism plates respectively bear, a gear wheel journalled on the main-shaft and lying outside the adjacent mechanism plate,y said gear wheel meshing witlione of the gears of the train, a clutch device whereby the gear wheel is caused toA turn with the mainshaft when the gear train is actuated by said driving means, and means onthe main-shaft for? holding thegear wheel against its adjacent mechanism plate.v jy

7. A device including a train of gears, first and second mechanism plates between which the train lies and on which the shafts thereof are' journalled, a spacer plate at one side of the mech-` anism plates held non-rigidly` interlocked therewith, a spacerr post, having an axial bore, located at a distance from said spacer plate and fixed with one end to the first mechanism plate, a shoulder on` said spacer post against which the second'mechanism plate bears, a main-shaft connected to the gear-train and journalled in the bore of said spacer post, and means for holding the second mechanism plate "in fixed position when lying against the shoulder of said spacer post whereby displacement of the mechanism plates from their position of assembly with the interlocked spacer plate is prevented. Y

8. A gear train deviceincluding a closed casing" having only a small opening, gearing insideY the casing, a driving shaft connected to the gearsl and projecting through the openingr inthe casing, a long hollow post forming a bearing for the driving shaft, a pair of mechanism plates serving as journals for the gears, and spaced shoulders on the said post whereby the mechanism plates are supported.`

9. A gear train deviceincluding a casing', av

train ofggears inside the casing, a spring, a `shaft turned by the spring and connected to the gears, a pair of mechanism plates forming journals .for the gears, a post forming a long journal for the' shaft and also spacing the mechanism plates, and

means engaging opposite ends of the shaft holding the mechanism plates together.

10. A gear train including a closed casing, a train of gears inside the casing, a driven shaft connected to the gears, a mechanism plate sur-v rounding the shaft and lying againstthe casing, another mechanism plate, a plate spacer holding the mechanism plates apart at one edge so they serve as journals for the gears, va mortise and tenon joint holding one mechanism plate to the spacer plate, and meansengaging the shaft to hold the mechanism plates against the plate spacer. l l

11. A gear train including a closed casing, a train of gears inside the casing, a driven shaft connected to the gears, a mechanism plate surrounding the shaft and lying against the casing, another mechanism plate, a plate spacer holding the mechanism plates apart at one edge so they serve as journals for the gears, a mortise' and tenon joint holding one mechanism plate to the plate spacer, and means engaging the shaft to hold thejmechanism plates against the plate spacer and an anchorage for the spring in the plate spacer. y

l12. A device including a gear train, a pair of mechanism plates, in which the gears are jour-L nalled, a spacing device, a gear wheel engaging with a gear of said train and. lying outside of a mechanism plate, va shaft passing through the mechanism plates on' which the gearwheel is journalled, and means'on the shaft holding the plates and gear wheel in position.

, 13. A device 'including a gear train, a pair of mechanism plates, in which the gears are journalled, a spacing device, a at ratchet wheel carrying teeth engaging with a gear of. said train andV lying outside of a mechanism plate, a shaft passing through the mechanism plates on which the fiat ratchet wheel is journalled, and means on the shaft holding the plates and flat ratchet wheel in position.

14. A device including a gear train, a pair of mechanism plates, in which the gears are journalled, a spacing device, a fiat ratchet wheel en- `gaging with a gear of said train, a flat pawl disc lying upon the ratchet so that its pawls engage the ratchet wheel, said pawl disc and ratchet wheel lying outside of a mechanism plate, a shaft passing through the mechanism plates on which the pawl disc is fast, and means on the shaft holding the plates and pawl disc in position.

15. 'A device including a main spring and a train of gears, a shaft having a fiat face, a gear Wheel journalledl yon the shaft, a hub member slidable loose on to theshaft and having a iiat face to turn the shaft and also having a projection to hold one end of the spring, a flexible member between the gear wheel and the said hub member and a stirruplying in grooves in the shaft and holding the slidable hub member against the said 'exible member, pressing the latter against the gear wheel.

16. Agear train including a closed casing, a train of gearsinsideV the casing, va driven shaft vconnectedto the gears, the former extending to A"and spaced shoulders onsaid stationary post whereby the mechanism'plates are supported in `spaced relation.

17. A device including atrain of gears, rst

' and second mechanism plates betweenwhich the train. lies andonwhich the shafts thereof are ljo-urnalled, a spacer plate at one side of the mechanism plates, shoulders on the said spacer kplate serving to fix the position of the first and second mechanisrnplate relative to each other, a main shaft extending through `the mechanism plates, a post surrounding the main f shaft over `more than the space between the first and second mechanism plate, said post including shoulders against which both mechanism plates bear, a

gear Wheel mounted on themain shaft and lying outside the adjacent mechanism plate, a spring for driving the main shaft, a coupling deviceheld to the main shaft for driving the gear wheel during rotation of. the main shaft in a spring-deenergizing direction, and means on the lmain shaft wherebythe coupling device ispressed against the gear wheel and the gear"wheel against the mechanism' plate. v CARL LU'RI'Z. 

